Interlock



Jan. 16, 1945. o, KUHLER 2,367,409

INTERLOCK Filed Jan. 21, 1944 INVENTOR 0770 A. KUHAE/E ATTO NEYS Patented Jan. 16, 1945 Application January 21, 1944, Serial No. 519,141

11 Claims.

This invention relates to structures in which one element receives another within an opening provided therefor with formation of a more or less permanent assembly.

A general object of in such a structure an improved construction of the elements which areto be locked and/or sealed in their'assembled relationby a gasket and an improved gasket construction which facilitates both the ready assemblage of the elements in their desired ultimate relation to each other and also the retention of the elements in the assembled relation, and, if required, a sealing of the joint all as a mere incident of a. simple assembling operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide for thermal or other insulation of one of the elements from the other in structures to which the invention is applicable. Another object of the invention is to provide a structure in which one of the elements constitutes a chamber, or the lining of a chamber, having a closure and in which the gasket which locks the elements together and seals the joint therebetween serves also as a sealin strip or gasket for the said closure.

The invention is herein shown as embodied in a structure, such, for example, as a refrigerator, a thermal food container or a hot serving tray, in which the problem is to prevent conduction of heat either outwardly or inwardly. These structures, as now usually manufactured, comprise outer and inner walls or shells often of some good heat conducting material, such as metal, and it is, important that these walls, in the assembled structure, be insulated from each other to prevent the conduction of heat either outwardly or inwardly, according as the structure is intended to maintain its contents either hot or cold. For sanitary reasons the inner walls of food containing structures are usually extended to and about the opening into the food receiving chamber in order to avoid crevices in the chamber itself in which dirt can accumulate. For the sake of appearances the outer wall is also usually brought into proximity to the inner wall in the same region. This usually means, therefore, that the desired insulation between the two walls must, at least in part, be located about the opening into the chamber of which the inner wall forms the lining.

A particular object of this invention is so to construct the proximate edges of the two walls that an insulating gasket of resilient material and of a novel contour in cross section will serve not only to insulate the inner and outer walls of the structure from each other but also to lock and seal the elements of the structure in the desired assembled relation to each other.

.An important feature of the invention is the the invention is to provide construction of. the proximate edges of the two elements of the structure and the construction of the gasket so that the elements will be of similar inner and outer contours, respectively,

but of sufficient size difference to be free to move transversely to each other before the gasket has been inserted therebetween and that, when the resilient gasket is placed in position between these elements preparatory. to assembling, the assembling movement will first effect a, compression of the resilient gasket to permit the aforesaid relative transverse movement of the ele ments of the structure and that thereafter, when the transverse movement is completed, an'expansion of the gasket into locking relation to' said elements will take place.

Although the invention obviously has an imfield of usefulness in the locking in assembled. relation and the insulation from each other of the outer and inner walls of structures in which it is desired to prevent the ready conduction of heat either outwardly or inwardly, it will be obvious that its utility is not limited to this field.

Other objects and important features of the invention to which 'attention has not here been specifically directed will appear hereinafter when portant the description and claims are considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a section through the gasket and other elements of a structure embodying the present invention assembled ready for interlocking of the parts;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary portion of the structure embodying the present invention with the elements in their intermediate position prior to interlocking;

Figure 3 is a section similar to Figure 1 showing the parts in the final interlocked relation;

Figure 4 is a sectioned perspective view of a modified gasket construction; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified 1 form of the invention as applied to a light frame.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention shows a structure having therein a hot or cold compartment or chamber 2 enclosed within a lining or inner wall 4. The opening by which access to the compartment is obtained will normally be closed by any suitable closure such as the cover or door 6. The cover or door 6 may be of the usual construction of closures for modern heat insulated compartments or chambers and may comprise a metal shell within which any suitable insulation is confined. Likewise, the lining 4, which may be of any suitable material, such as porcelain, glass, enameled steel or stainless steel, etc., as insulated from the exterior wall ID of the structure (which may be made of the same or different material as the wall 4) by any between the marginal wall l4 and the inner edge 8,867,400 suitable'insulationdocated within the space I: of the flange it when the are infthe asbetween the-innerjandouterwalls. If the struc sembled condition shown in Figure '8, thereby ture is tobe used merely as a temporary serving insuring that this part or; the gasket will be tray the confined air alone in the space H may squeezed between the marginal wall l4 and the afford satisfactory insulation. s ,inner edge of the flange ll. thus insuring an As herein shown, the inner wall 4 of the strucair and water-tight seal at this point. Furtherture, thatis, the wall that bounds or lines the more, that dimension of the cross section of the hot or cold compartment 2. extends also part gasket which lies betweenthe lower side or way across the top or front of the main or body the v groove 22 and that part of the face 8| part of the structure and is bent inwardly and l which engages the inner surface of the outer then laterally to form a marginal wall l4 anda wall ill when the parts are in the assembled peripheral flange portion l4 having an edge conrelation shown in Figure 3 will also preferably tour corresponding substantially to the periphbe greater than the distance between the peripheral contour of the inner chamber 2. It will be eral edge of the flange l4 and the inner face of understood, of course, that this peripheral cona the wall It. This insures a compression of this tour ma be varied if it is desired to have the part of the resilient gasket 24 between the outside wall of the structure have a different peripheral edgeof themargin "and the inner peripheral contour from the peripheral contour face of the outer wall It thus insuring a furof the chamber 2. The important thing, in the ther sealing of the joint against the penetration illustrative embodiment of the invention, is that :0 thereof by air or moisture. the turned-in flange I 4 on the outer wall It From an inspection of Figures 2 and 3 it will which is to cooperate with the flange I! on the further be seen that it is important that transmarginal wall I 4 shah have an inner edge converse'relative assembling movement of the eletour like the peripheral contour of the edge of ments of the structure or, in other words, the the flange it but of somewhat greater size. It-'- 25 movement of the inner shell 4 into the shell will be seen that the flange It on the outer wall formed by the outer wall I ll be limited, both to It forms on'its inner face a shoulderwhich coprevent contact of the two walls 4 and I0 and operates with the shoulder formed by the under also to prevent the movement of the shoulder face of the flange it of the inner wall 4 and with faces and the edges of the flanges I4 and is out the marginal wall I4 and the inner face of the of proper relation to the Joint locking and sealwall it to confine the gasket 20, now. to be deing gasket 20. Means are therefore preferably scribed, in looking position when the two eleprovided for stopping such relative movement ments 4 and iii of the structure are in their asof the parts in the assembling operation, the sembled permanent relation to each other. illustrative means preferably comprising a spac- As shown particularly in Figure 1, the gasket ing piece 32. wh i a s preferably of resilient 20, in its unassembled condition, has a cross material such, for example, as the same material section particularly adapted to facilitate both of which the gasket 20 is formed. It will be the preliminary assembling of the parts of the seen from an inspection of Figure 3 that if the structure and the locking of them in their perspacing'piece 32, which, as above stated, is prefmanent assembled condition. As shown in cross 40 erably of resilient material, be of sufllcient section in Figure l, the gasket 20 is provided with thickness it will insure the maintenance of the two V-shaped grooves 22 and 24 intended to inner element 4 and outer element I 0 in the receive the marginal edges of the flanges i6 and assembled relation there shown in which the i8 respectively when the structure is assembled. gasket 20 will be compressed not only between To provide a substantially square shoulder on the edge of the flange l8 and the marginal wall the gasket 20 to be received in the shoulder i 4 but also between the edge of the flange l8 and angle formed between the marginal wall i4 and the inner face of the outer wall Ill and in addithe flange IS on the inner wall 4, the gasket is tion there will be a diagonal compression of the provided with a face 28 lying at substantially gasket 20 between the edge of the flange l4 and right angles to one side of the groove 22. That the edge of the flange l8. face 28 of the gasket which is exposed in the A modified form of gasket, designed especially assembled structure may have any desired secfor use where a closure member 6 is to be pressed tional contour to adapt it for use as a closure over the open side of the chamber 4, is shown in sealing gasket for the closure 6. Figure 4. It will be noted that the upper part To facilitate the assembling operation the face of the gasket shown in Figure 4 is provided with 30 of the gasket which, in the assembled condia hollow interior 34. It will further be noted that tion of the structure, forms, with one side of in the assembled condition of the gasket the outer the slot 24, a shoulder cooperating with the wall of this hollow interior serves as the closure shoulder angle formed between the flange I8 gasket. Thus the hollow interior not only adds and .the inner surface of the outer wall I0, is to the insulating effect but gives the outer wall preferably curved in cross section as shown. against which the closure abuts a somewhat more The distance between the bottoms of the V ready adaptability to any irregularities in the grooves 22 and 24 is preferably more than the dissurface of the closure which abuts thereagainst. tance between the marginal edges of the flanges From the foregoing description it will be seen it and I8, when the flanges l6 and iii are that the invention provides a novel method and brought into the same plane, so that there will means for assembling two elements having the be a compression of the gasket between these general relationship of the elements herein illusedges at this point, the gasket being preferably trated and that in the assembled structure there formed of some permanently resilient material is provided not only thermal insulation of the such as rubber. Moreover, as shown particularelements from each other but such a support of ly in Figure 3, that dimension of the cross secone element by the other that it is insulated from tion of the gasket 20 which lies between the face the transmission of shocks thereto. Although, as 28 of the gasket and the upper side of the V herein shown, the invention is particularly useful o v 24 is Pr f ra ly greater than the distance in its application to the combined insulation and 76 looking in assembled relation of the parts of structures such as refrigerators, thermal food containers, hot serving trays, etc., in which the problem is to prevent conduction of heat either outwardly or inwardly, it is not limited in its utility to such structures but has a wide field of application. For example, its adaptability to insulation of one element from another both in respect to conduction of heat and transmission of shock makes it applicable to other structures such as modern windows especially where metal frames are used and where it is desired to seal the edges of the window. Other uses of the invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

In Figure of the drawing the angle iron llla i811 forms the flange and abutment for the outer enlarged portion of the resilient gasket and on the opposite side of the gasket the window pane Eta engages in the reduced central portion of the gasket in the same manner as the flange l6 of the air shell in the device shown in Figures 1 and 4. With this form as with the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 through 4, the parts are first assembled loosely with the pane of glass on the opposite side of the flange IM and the pane of glass is then pushed into place, first compressing the central portion of the rubber as it passes the flange i811, and then, when it has passed, compressing the rubber into the corner of the angle iron frame and against the abutment web Ina.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the class described, the combination with an inner element having a peripheral edge of a desired contour and an outer element having an inner edge of like but somewhat larger contour whereby said elements may be assembled by moving said edges transversely past each other and at least one of said elements having an abutment near but spaced from its said edge, of a resiliently depressible gasket serving to form with said edges a locked joint between the assembled elements, said gasket being shaped in cross-section to lie between said edges when they are in adjacent but offset relation and having a central section of thickness greater than, but adapted to be compressed to, the spacing between said edges when in opposed relation and a portion extended therebeyond of thickness greater than the spacing of said abutment from the edge of the other element when in opposed relation to said abutment.

2. In a structure of the class described, the combination with an inner element having 11. peripheral edge of a desired contour and an outer element having an inner edge of like but somewhat larger contour whereby said elements may be assembled by moving said edges transversely past each other, of a gasket serving to form with the said edges a locked and sealed joint between the assembled elements. said gasket comprising a strip of resilient material of a cross-section shaped to flt between said edges in an unopposed but arallel relation thereof and each of said aforementioned elements being provided with a shoulder against which a portion of said gasket is held by the other. element when said edges have been moved transversely past each other into assembled relation.

3. A structure according to claim 1 in which each of said elements is provided with an abutment near but spaced from which the gasket is held by element.

thoedgeoftheother its ed e and again 10 4. A structure according to claim 1 in which the gasket has in cross section a reduced waist portion between the inner and outer portions thereof.

5. A structure according to claim 1 in which the inner element constitutes the bounding wall of a chamber having a closure and the outer portion of said gasket serves as a gasket for said closure.

6. A structure according to claim 1 in which means are provided for limiting the relative transverse movement of the elements in the assembling operation.

7. A structure according to claim 1 in which means are provided for limiting the relative transverse movement of the elements in assembling, said means being also formed of resilient material.

8. In a structure of the class described, the combination with an inner element having a peripheral flange provided with an edge of a desired contour and an outer element having an inner flange provided with an edge of like but somewhat larger contour whereby said elements may move transversely to each other in assembling, of a resilient gasket serving to form with said flanges a locked and sealed Joint between the assembled elements, said elements being provided adjacent said flanges with opposed walls when in assembled relation whereby a recess, into which the resilient gasket may expand, is provided between said flanges and walls, said gasket comprising a strip of resilient material of a cross section such that when said strip is placed between said edges it will be resiLently pressed as the edges are caused to move transversely to each other in assembling and will be carried by said inner element into a position such that the thus depressed portion can expand into said aforementioned recess to eifect the locking of the elements together and the sealing of the joint therebetween.

9. A structure according to claim 1 in which the gasket is provided with opposed V-shaped grooves for receiving the edges of the respective elements.

10. A structure according to claim 1 in which each of the offset edges of the two elements in the assembled structure is opposed the other element against which a portion of said gasket is pressed by said edge into sealing relation.

11. In a structure of the class described, the combination with an inner element having a peripheral edge of a desired contour and an outer element having an inner edge of like but somewhat larger contour whereby said elements may be assembled by moving said edges transversely past each other, of a resilient gasket having a waist portion of reduced thickness adapted to receive said edges respectively on opposite sides thereof and enlarged portions at each side of said waist portion adapted to hold said edges against displacement from the waist portion, said gasket being deformable to permit assembly of said parts and at least a portion thereof being expanded into locking relation when the parts are assembled, so that they cannot be disassembled except by further resilient depression of such expanded pert.

by a'wall of 

